Photo by Fateme Alaie on Unsplash
It started in 1970, over half a century ago when air and water pollution was much worse because it was much less regulated than now. Earth Day turned into a global grassroots movement for the protection of the environment and for promoting global carbon neutrality. According to the Earth Day website, we now support Earth Week April 14-22. Gains have been made, but much more needs to be done. Find at least one Earth Week event to attend; they are very informative, fun and a great way to connect with your community too.
Another way to deepen understanding is to read Silent Spring by Rachel Carson (1962), which describes how DDT and other pesticides enter our food supplies. She died from breast cancer in 1964. You can also watch Who Killed the Electric Car (2006), clean up litter and decide to never use plastic bags.